Q. I’ve considered wearing my mother’s wedding gown, but it’s out of date and not really my style. How can I repurpose it into something I can use on my wedding day?
A. Many brides today choose to incorporate part of their mother’s wedding gown into their own dress. Not only does it make a great “something borrowed,” it’s a beautiful way to honor your mother.
“From incorporating her wedding dress, accessories or even a few of her favorite things, brides have many options when it comes to including their mother in their wedding-day ensemble,” says Catherine Loose, director of fashion at Style-Architects.
If you want to rework your mother’s wedding gown into something that’s more your style, consider hiring a local designer like Joynoelle or the Dressmaker. A designer can do as little or as much as you want with that dress, from simply making tweaks to the fit and style to completely deconstructing it and repurposing the fabric into a new custom gown.
Looking for some simpler yet still thoughtful options? Portions of her dress, such as vintage lace, could be used to wrap your bouquet or made into a clutch. Also consider wearing your mother’s veil, carrying her wedding-day clutch, sporting some of her jewelry or carrying a bouquet that features her favorite flowers. Whichever route you choose, your mother is sure to feel honored.